Austria: Difference between revisions
(Created page with " ==Etymology and other names== ==History== ==Geography== ==Demographics== ==Economy== ==Culture== ==Government== ==Military== ==Education== ==Transportation== ==Notable People== ==Sources from old books== ===1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.=== <blockquote>THE ARCHDVKEDOME OF AVSTRIA. The third Circle of the Empire is AUSTRIA, in which there are two Orders. (Book Austria) THe next that followeth in our method is Austria, called here...") |
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THe next that followeth in our method is Austria, called heretofore Pannonia the higher. The name of Austria, as Wolfgangus Lazius witnesseth, is but of late time, being called so either from the South wind, which is frequent in that Country, or from the Germane word Oostreich, for so the Frenchmen called the Easterne bounds of their Kingdome, as they call'd the Westerne bounds Westretch. But that which the Frenchmen called Oostreich was situated by the Rhene, and called afterward Austrasia, which name having lost, they call'd it Pannonia, as Lazius testifieth. Lib. 1. Cap. 11. Comment. Gent. Aust. Moreover the Austrians are descended from the Frenchmen and Saxones, who by the sword got this Country from the Hungarians. Austria hath on the East Hungaria: on the South the Mountaines of Styria, which doe runne out with one continued Bridge from the Alpes into Hungary, and other Countries beyond it: it hath on the East Bavaria, and on the North the Rivers Tejus and Moravia. It hath a milde pleasant ayre, and wholesome in regard that the East winde doth purifie it. The soyle is very fruitfull, and not chargable in tilling. For the Husbandman, in that part which is called Campus Transdanubianus, or the Fields beyond Danubius, will plough the ground with one poore leane Horse. The Austrians doe not know what Marle is, with which the barren leane Fields in Bavaria are manured. All the Country hath excellent Wine, which is purer then the Germane wine, and weaker then the Spanish wine, which it doth transport to Moravia, Bohemia, Silesia, and Bavaria. Besides it hath excellent good Saffron. It hath also abundance of Silver, but no Gold; it hath Salt also, which is partly made at home, & partly imported and brought in from other parts. The Earles of Babenberg did sometime governe Austria, the first was Lupold, whom the Emperour Otto the second created Marquesse of Austria; whose Line being extinct, Rudolphus of Habspurg, who was elected Emperour in the yeere 128•. did governe it, and made it a Dukedome. And Frederick the second made it a Kingdome. The armes of this Country were heretofore five golden Larkes painted in a Sky-colour Field: but the Marquesse Lupold the V. had new Armes given him by the Empire, which were set forth in white and red colours, because his Buckle• was so bloody in the Battaile against Ptolomies, that it was all bloody even to the bend which went crosse the Scutchion Moreover Austria is devided into the higher and the lower, the latter whereof is situate beyond Danubius, and the former on this side. It hath also the Dukedome of Styria, which lyeth betweene the Rivers Danubius, Muer, and Mietz, the Inhabitants whereof doe partly use the Germane speech, and partly the Sclavonian. It hath also the Dukedome of Carinthia, which is situate betweene the Rivers Muer and Draicus: and also Carmina Southward. The chiefe Citty of Austria is Vienna, which the Sarmatians and Windians did inhabit, before the birth of our Saviour Christ, after whom there succeeded the Boijans, Senonians, and others, whom Tiberius Nero did reduce into a Province: Antoninus calleth it in his Itinerarie Vindebona, and Ptolemy calls it Iuliobona, and both of them doe place the tenth Germane Legion there, for many ancient Monuments, both within and without the Citty doe witnesse that it was seated in that place. To this Legion from the Colour or Ensigne belonging to it, the name of a Larke was given: whence it seemes that the Marquesse of Austria had their Armes at the first, which are five Larkes. And Otto of Frisingen, Lib. 1. Histor. Frid. cap. 32. calleth it Faviana. For he saith, Dux iunc demum terga hosti dare compellitur, & periculis belli exemptus in Vicinum opidum Viennis, quod olim à Romanis inhabitatum Fabiana Dicebatur, declinavit. That is, The Duke was put to flight by the enemy, and was faine to retire to the Towne Vienna, which when the Romanes did heretofore inhabit it was called Fabiana. You may read the like in the History of Severinus Bishop of Vienna. Lazius saith that Strabo calleth it Vendum. Iornandes calleth it the Citty Pannonia: and in the Sclavonian language it is called Wien Wydme. Ortelius writeth that hee learned out of D. Carolus Rimius, who was sometime Orator to Zelimus the great Turke, that the Turkes doe call this Citty Betz. Leunclavius calleth it Wetsch, and Beetz: It is a faire Citty situate by the River Danubius, and encompassed with a strong wall, so that Vienna is a well fortified and a strong Bulwarke against the Turkes. The Suburbs are great, and large. The Citizens have faire magnificent Houses, which are adorned with Pictures, and strongly built. There are many great faire Churches built of Free-stone, and arched with divers Pillars. Their Wine-cellers are so deepe and large, that they have as much building under the ground as they have above ground. Their streets are paved with hard stone, so that Cart-wheeles cannot weare them. It hath great store of Corne and Wine, so that in the time of Vintage for 40. dayes together they doe use 1200. Horses to carry Corne and Wine in Carts. It received the Christian Religion in the yeere 466. by the preaching and instruction of Severinus, who built two Churches there. The History of this Citty may be found in Lazius, and Otto of Friburg. Frederick the second did adorne, and enlarge this Citty, as also all the other following Dukes of Austria. The Emperour Frederick did erect there an University for all Arts and Sciences, which was afterward renewed by Albert Archduke of Austria, in the yeere 1356. But afterward through sedition it was ruinated. These were famous men in Vienna, namely Wolfgangus, Lazius, Medius, an Historian to the Emperour Ferdinand: also Iulius Alexandrinus, Mathias Farinator, also Iohn Haselbach was Professor of Divinity in the University of Vienna, who was so large in the explanation of that which hee propounded to his audience, that he preached twenty yeeres out of the Prophet Esaiah, and yet hee was not come to the end of the first Chapter. This Citty is famous for the Citizens valiant holding out against the Turkes siege, in the yeere 1529. in which 80000. Turkes were slaine. There is also in higher Austria Gmunda, which is no great Towne, but yet very neat and pleasant, situated by a Lake which is called from thence the Lake Gmunda, out of which Dravus a River of Austria riseth. At Gmunda there is great store of Salt, which is digged out of the neighbouring Mountaines, and so being brought to Gmunda in little Vessels (which in their Country speech they call Kivelin) it is transported by the River Dravus unto Danubius, and so from Vienna it is transported to other Citties of Austria, Hungaria, Stiria, and Carinthia, to the great gaine and commodity of the Gmundians. It is watered also with many Rivers; the chiefe whereof is Danubius, which was heretofore the limmiting bounds of the Country, but now it cutteth thorow the middle of it. The other Rivers are Athosinus, Genus, or Onasus, Tranus, Traunus, and Erlaphus, which ariseth out of a pleasant Lake, by the River Cella famous for the Church of the Virgin Mother: there are also the Rivers Traisius, Ypsius, Melicus, Marchia, and Tejus, which devideth Moravia from Austria, also Cambus which is full of divers kindes of Fish, and Leytha: also Suegadus, in which there are excellent Crabs, and others. It hath many Mountaines, the chiefe whereof are the Mountaine Cecius, commonly called Calenberg, which extendeth from Danubius even to the River Dravus, the parts of it are Schneberg, Semering, Kemperg, Hertperg, Deusperg, Heusterg, Plaitz: Also Cognanus now called der Haimburgerperg, which reacheth from Danubius to Arabon. It hath also some woods which are parts and pieces of the wood Hercinia, and the Moones Wood: And they are now called der Freyste••er und Kon•gwiserwaldt. But let us proceede to other matters. In the Citie of Vienna, twelve Magistrates doe dayly sit in Iudgement. Of which foure are of the Clergie, the Officiall of the Bishop of Patavia, the Officiall of the Bishop of Vienna, the Deane of the Cathedrall Church, and the Rector or governour of the Vniversity. There are also foure Citizens, and foure out of the Citty. The chiefe whereof are these whom they call Regimentum, where all lower Austria doe bring their suits and causes to tryall, and they call the Court the Exchequer, whether all the accompts of the Province are brought. The rest are subject unto them, and causes are removed and brought from them to the higher, the Senate of the Province does appeale to the ordinary of the Province, the Senate of the Citie with the Consull doth appeale to the Citie Praetor, the Iudgement of Custome, and the Merchants Praetor, which they call the Landgrave, concerning which matter Wolfgangus Lazius, of Vienna doth discourse at large in his Vienna. Austria is the third Circle of the Empire, in which there are two Orders. In the first there are the Clergie, as the Bishops of Trent, of Brixen, of Goricen, of Segovia, of Labachia, of Vienna, Teutsch Ordens Meister, Ordens Maister in Eischtall. In the second are the secular Princes, as the Archduke of Austria, Count Schaumberg, the Barren of Wolkenstain, the Lord Senster, the Lord Roggendorff, Count Hardkeck. And besides the Princes of the Empire, there are in Austria, the Counts of Thurn, Crentz, Ortenburg, Perneck, Garb, Freyhern, Landskron, Wanberg, Hohen, Osterwitz, Newberg, Guetenhag, Teuffe•bach, Maiyhofen, Awersperg, Dorneck, Saraw, Hattenstain, Schwartzenaw, Tu•nstai•, Wachanthall, Hoffkirchen, Eytzing. The Lordships also are Aichelperg, Liechtenstain, Puchaim, Luetkurt, Porges, Schonkirchen, Shifftenberg, Altensperg, Hornstein, and Seibersdorff.</blockquote> |
THe next that followeth in our method is Austria, called heretofore Pannonia the higher. The name of Austria, as Wolfgangus Lazius witnesseth, is but of late time, being called so either from the South wind, which is frequent in that Country, or from the Germane word Oostreich, for so the Frenchmen called the Easterne bounds of their Kingdome, as they call'd the Westerne bounds Westretch. But that which the Frenchmen called Oostreich was situated by the Rhene, and called afterward Austrasia, which name having lost, they call'd it Pannonia, as Lazius testifieth. Lib. 1. Cap. 11. Comment. Gent. Aust. Moreover the Austrians are descended from the Frenchmen and Saxones, who by the sword got this Country from the Hungarians. Austria hath on the East Hungaria: on the South the Mountaines of Styria, which doe runne out with one continued Bridge from the Alpes into Hungary, and other Countries beyond it: it hath on the East Bavaria, and on the North the Rivers Tejus and Moravia. It hath a milde pleasant ayre, and wholesome in regard that the East winde doth purifie it. The soyle is very fruitfull, and not chargable in tilling. For the Husbandman, in that part which is called Campus Transdanubianus, or the Fields beyond Danubius, will plough the ground with one poore leane Horse. The Austrians doe not know what Marle is, with which the barren leane Fields in Bavaria are manured. All the Country hath excellent Wine, which is purer then the Germane wine, and weaker then the Spanish wine, which it doth transport to Moravia, Bohemia, Silesia, and Bavaria. Besides it hath excellent good Saffron. It hath also abundance of Silver, but no Gold; it hath Salt also, which is partly made at home, & partly imported and brought in from other parts. The Earles of Babenberg did sometime governe Austria, the first was Lupold, whom the Emperour Otto the second created Marquesse of Austria; whose Line being extinct, Rudolphus of Habspurg, who was elected Emperour in the yeere 128•. did governe it, and made it a Dukedome. And Frederick the second made it a Kingdome. The armes of this Country were heretofore five golden Larkes painted in a Sky-colour Field: but the Marquesse Lupold the V. had new Armes given him by the Empire, which were set forth in white and red colours, because his Buckle• was so bloody in the Battaile against Ptolomies, that it was all bloody even to the bend which went crosse the Scutchion Moreover Austria is devided into the higher and the lower, the latter whereof is situate beyond Danubius, and the former on this side. It hath also the Dukedome of Styria, which lyeth betweene the Rivers Danubius, Muer, and Mietz, the Inhabitants whereof doe partly use the Germane speech, and partly the Sclavonian. It hath also the Dukedome of Carinthia, which is situate betweene the Rivers Muer and Draicus: and also Carmina Southward. The chiefe Citty of Austria is Vienna, which the Sarmatians and Windians did inhabit, before the birth of our Saviour Christ, after whom there succeeded the Boijans, Senonians, and others, whom Tiberius Nero did reduce into a Province: Antoninus calleth it in his Itinerarie Vindebona, and Ptolemy calls it Iuliobona, and both of them doe place the tenth Germane Legion there, for many ancient Monuments, both within and without the Citty doe witnesse that it was seated in that place. To this Legion from the Colour or Ensigne belonging to it, the name of a Larke was given: whence it seemes that the Marquesse of Austria had their Armes at the first, which are five Larkes. And Otto of Frisingen, Lib. 1. Histor. Frid. cap. 32. calleth it Faviana. For he saith, Dux iunc demum terga hosti dare compellitur, & periculis belli exemptus in Vicinum opidum Viennis, quod olim à Romanis inhabitatum Fabiana Dicebatur, declinavit. That is, The Duke was put to flight by the enemy, and was faine to retire to the Towne Vienna, which when the Romanes did heretofore inhabit it was called Fabiana. You may read the like in the History of Severinus Bishop of Vienna. Lazius saith that Strabo calleth it Vendum. Iornandes calleth it the Citty Pannonia: and in the Sclavonian language it is called Wien Wydme. Ortelius writeth that hee learned out of D. Carolus Rimius, who was sometime Orator to Zelimus the great Turke, that the Turkes doe call this Citty Betz. Leunclavius calleth it Wetsch, and Beetz: It is a faire Citty situate by the River Danubius, and encompassed with a strong wall, so that Vienna is a well fortified and a strong Bulwarke against the Turkes. The Suburbs are great, and large. The Citizens have faire magnificent Houses, which are adorned with Pictures, and strongly built. There are many great faire Churches built of Free-stone, and arched with divers Pillars. Their Wine-cellers are so deepe and large, that they have as much building under the ground as they have above ground. Their streets are paved with hard stone, so that Cart-wheeles cannot weare them. It hath great store of Corne and Wine, so that in the time of Vintage for 40. dayes together they doe use 1200. Horses to carry Corne and Wine in Carts. It received the Christian Religion in the yeere 466. by the preaching and instruction of Severinus, who built two Churches there. The History of this Citty may be found in Lazius, and Otto of Friburg. Frederick the second did adorne, and enlarge this Citty, as also all the other following Dukes of Austria. The Emperour Frederick did erect there an University for all Arts and Sciences, which was afterward renewed by Albert Archduke of Austria, in the yeere 1356. But afterward through sedition it was ruinated. These were famous men in Vienna, namely Wolfgangus, Lazius, Medius, an Historian to the Emperour Ferdinand: also Iulius Alexandrinus, Mathias Farinator, also Iohn Haselbach was Professor of Divinity in the University of Vienna, who was so large in the explanation of that which hee propounded to his audience, that he preached twenty yeeres out of the Prophet Esaiah, and yet hee was not come to the end of the first Chapter. This Citty is famous for the Citizens valiant holding out against the Turkes siege, in the yeere 1529. in which 80000. Turkes were slaine. There is also in higher Austria Gmunda, which is no great Towne, but yet very neat and pleasant, situated by a Lake which is called from thence the Lake Gmunda, out of which Dravus a River of Austria riseth. At Gmunda there is great store of Salt, which is digged out of the neighbouring Mountaines, and so being brought to Gmunda in little Vessels (which in their Country speech they call Kivelin) it is transported by the River Dravus unto Danubius, and so from Vienna it is transported to other Citties of Austria, Hungaria, Stiria, and Carinthia, to the great gaine and commodity of the Gmundians. It is watered also with many Rivers; the chiefe whereof is Danubius, which was heretofore the limmiting bounds of the Country, but now it cutteth thorow the middle of it. The other Rivers are Athosinus, Genus, or Onasus, Tranus, Traunus, and Erlaphus, which ariseth out of a pleasant Lake, by the River Cella famous for the Church of the Virgin Mother: there are also the Rivers Traisius, Ypsius, Melicus, Marchia, and Tejus, which devideth Moravia from Austria, also Cambus which is full of divers kindes of Fish, and Leytha: also Suegadus, in which there are excellent Crabs, and others. It hath many Mountaines, the chiefe whereof are the Mountaine Cecius, commonly called Calenberg, which extendeth from Danubius even to the River Dravus, the parts of it are Schneberg, Semering, Kemperg, Hertperg, Deusperg, Heusterg, Plaitz: Also Cognanus now called der Haimburgerperg, which reacheth from Danubius to Arabon. It hath also some woods which are parts and pieces of the wood Hercinia, and the Moones Wood: And they are now called der Freyste••er und Kon•gwiserwaldt. But let us proceede to other matters. In the Citie of Vienna, twelve Magistrates doe dayly sit in Iudgement. Of which foure are of the Clergie, the Officiall of the Bishop of Patavia, the Officiall of the Bishop of Vienna, the Deane of the Cathedrall Church, and the Rector or governour of the Vniversity. There are also foure Citizens, and foure out of the Citty. The chiefe whereof are these whom they call Regimentum, where all lower Austria doe bring their suits and causes to tryall, and they call the Court the Exchequer, whether all the accompts of the Province are brought. The rest are subject unto them, and causes are removed and brought from them to the higher, the Senate of the Province does appeale to the ordinary of the Province, the Senate of the Citie with the Consull doth appeale to the Citie Praetor, the Iudgement of Custome, and the Merchants Praetor, which they call the Landgrave, concerning which matter Wolfgangus Lazius, of Vienna doth discourse at large in his Vienna. Austria is the third Circle of the Empire, in which there are two Orders. In the first there are the Clergie, as the Bishops of Trent, of Brixen, of Goricen, of Segovia, of Labachia, of Vienna, Teutsch Ordens Meister, Ordens Maister in Eischtall. In the second are the secular Princes, as the Archduke of Austria, Count Schaumberg, the Barren of Wolkenstain, the Lord Senster, the Lord Roggendorff, Count Hardkeck. And besides the Princes of the Empire, there are in Austria, the Counts of Thurn, Crentz, Ortenburg, Perneck, Garb, Freyhern, Landskron, Wanberg, Hohen, Osterwitz, Newberg, Guetenhag, Teuffe•bach, Maiyhofen, Awersperg, Dorneck, Saraw, Hattenstain, Schwartzenaw, Tu•nstai•, Wachanthall, Hoffkirchen, Eytzing. The Lordships also are Aichelperg, Liechtenstain, Puchaim, Luetkurt, Porges, Schonkirchen, Shifftenberg, Altensperg, Hornstein, and Seibersdorff.</blockquote> |
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=== 1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child. === |
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<blockquote>THE Circle of Austria is seated between Bohemia and Moravia on the North, the Dominions of the Republick of Venice on the South, Hungary on, the East, and Bavaria on the West, and comprehends the Estates of the Family of Austria, viz. Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Cilley, Goritz, and Tyrol, and the Bishopricks of Trent and Brixen. The extent of the whole is about 300 miles from East to West, and 200 from North to South. The Soil is fertil, producing Corn, Wine, Pastures and Woods. The Danube passes through Austria, the Drave rises in the Mountains of Brixen and runs through Carinthia, the Save hath its source in the Mountains in the North-west Borders of Carniola and passes through that Dutchy; the Muer rises in the Confines of Saltzburg, runs through Styria and falls into the Drave a little above Canisia, besides which, a great number of smaller Rivers water the several Provinces of this Circle. |
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AƲSTRIA, which is dignified with the Title of an Arch-dutchy, lies on both sides the River Danube for the space of about 60 or 70 miles from North to South, and 160 from East to West. It was the Pannonia Superior of the Ancients; and its present name of Oosterich or Eastern Kingdom, in Latin Austria, was given by the Franks, because situated Eastward from France. It is a very plentiful Country, affording a great quantity of Wine and Saffron, besides Corn and all other Necessaries for Life in abundance. The Air is not of the wholsomest, the Lower Austria being subject to Infectious Vapours that cause Agues; to prevent which may be the reason of their much Drinking, which, it seems, they are notable for, their Neigbours calling 'em Paschaller, or Ranters, |
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This Province, after the Roman's time, was part of the Kingdom of Boiarij or Bavarians, afterwards erected into a separate Marquisat by the Emperor Otho I. and the Austrian Family growing powerful, it was honoured with the Title of Arch-dutchy. |
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This great Family is, by the German Genealogists, pretended to be deriv'd from the ancient Greeks or Roman Hero's. But the first certain Account that is to be found of it, is, That they were Lords of Vindonissa a City of Swisserland, afterwards Counts of Altemberg and Earls of Hapsburg; which Honours they had held from Father to Son for 600 years before Rudolph Earl of Hapsburg was advanc'd to the Imperial Throne in 1273. who, being a very brave Prince, raised his Family exceedingly. In his time Frederick, Duke of Austria dying with out Issue, Ottocarius King of Bohomia seized upon it, pretending a Right by his Wife, and added to it Carniola and Carinthia, which he bought of Ʋlric the last Prince of those Provinces; but the Emperor claimed it as a Fief-male to return to the Empire, and by Force disposses'd Ottocarius and gave it to his Son Albert, who, by Marriage with Elizabeth Daughter of Meinard Earl of Tyrol, obtain'd that Earldom and several Estates in Schwaben and with the Alsatians: By all which Accessions he became powerful enough to contend with the Emperor Adolph, whom he slew in Battel, and caused himself to be chosen Emperor; but after he had Reigned 10 Years he was slain. He left behind him six Sons, from whom descended Frederick III. chosen Emperor in 1440. Maximilian, his Son, succeeded him in the Empire, and married Mary Daughter of Charles the Warlike Duke of Burgundy (the richest Heiress of Europe) and thereby acquir'd all Belgium, or the Netherlands. Philip the Son of Maximilian, married Joan the Daughter of Ferdinand and Isabel, the first Monarchs of all Spain, and in her Right succeeded in that Kingdom, and began the Spanish Branch of the Austrian Family. Charles succeeded his Father and Grandfather in all their Honours and Estates, so that he was Emperor of Germany, and King of Spain, Naples and Sicily, and Lord of Belgium, besides the Realms of Mexico and Peru in America, with the Dutchy of Milan, which were added to Spain in his time. This mighty Prince, after he had Reigned 42 Years, voluntarily resign'd all his Dominions; and after he had given his Son Philip his Kingdoms of Spain, Naples, Sicily, Mexico, with Belgium, &c. and obtained his Brother Ferdinand to be chosen Emperor, himself retir'd into a Monastery. Ferdinand was chosen King of Hungary and Bohemia, which, with the Empire, his Successors have ever since enjoy'd. By the means of this Grandeur, the Family of Austria hath obtain'd large Privileges: The Arch-duke is the first Councellor of the Empire; he can create Barons and Counts all over the Empire: The Princes of this Family cannot be disseized of their Estates, even by the Emperor himself. In case of the failure of the Mail-Line, the eldest Daughter may Inherit, and her Husband enjoy the Dignity and Privileges of Arch-duke, &c. |
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The present Emperor LEOPOLD is the Heir of the German Branch of this Great Family, and Inheritor of all its Honours and Estates. |
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Austria is divided into the Upper and Lower, with respect to the Course of the River Danube, being divided by the River Ens. |
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*In the Lower are these chief Towns, |
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**Vienna, Capital. |
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**...Neustat. |
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**...Krems. |
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**...Stain. |
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**...Baden. |
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**...Tuln. |
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**...Haynburg. |
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*In the Upper, stand |
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**...Lints. |
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**...Ens. |
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**...Everding. |
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**...Freistat. |
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**...Steyr. |
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**...Wels. |
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VIENNA, olim Vindomina & Vindobona, call'd by the Natives WIEN, is the Capital of Austria, and by being the Seat of the Emperor, is esteem'd the Metropolis of Germany; it was originally a Fort of the Romans, and not at all considerable till Henry Prince of •ledge•stria rebuilt it in 1158. It was enlarg'd, beautified •ledge• wall'd round in the Year 1192, with the Mony •ledge• was paid by the English Nation for the Ransom of •ledge•ard I. detain'd Prisoner by the Marquess of Au•ledge•ria, in his return from the Holy Land. It is now a •ledge•ry rich flourishing City, and exceeding populous; •ledge•reat numbers of Strangers, besides Natives of other parts of Germany, being brought hither by the Emperor's Court. The Houses are well built of Stone, and very high, commonly six Stories, and besides have Cellars sunk four Stories under one another. The Emperor's Palace is a noble piece of Building, but not very large, it consists of two Courts: Over the entrance are set in Capitals the 5 Vowels, the Exposition of which causes many Conjectures; one that pleases best, is, Austriae Est Imperare Orbi Ʋniverso. The Furniture is very princely. But that which most deserves a Traveller's sight, are, the Repository or Collection of Rarities of Nature and Art, and the Library; in the former of which are kept a vast number of Curiosities, the bare Catalogue whereof takes up a large Vol. in Fol. Dr. Brown has mention'd several of the most considerable, to which we must refer the Reader, it being too long to set down here. The Library consists of eight Chambers, which contain a very valuable and numerous Collection of Printed Books, besides a great number of Manuscripts, and is excell'd by no Library of Europe. |
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This City is the See of a Bishop, who is Suffragan to the Archb••hop o• Sa••zburg. The Cathedral Church, dedicated •o 〈…〉, is a stately Fabrick; the Windows are of thick pain•ed •l••s, which makes the Church somewh•• dark, •he •••fry is •x•raordinary, being adorn'd with S•••••s and fine Embellishments; the Steeple r••es in a Sp••e to the heighth of 482 Foot, and on the top was set •he Turkish Arms, a Star and Crescent, to save it from being destroy'd at the time that Solyman besieg'd this City, which continued there till the Year 16•3, when after defeating the Turks that year, it was taken down. An University is establish'd here, which is endow'd with many Privileges and a fair Revenue, and has a great number of Students: It was founded, as some say, by the Emperor Frederick II. and enlarg'd and compleated by Albert III. Duke of Austria, who also obtain'd its Privileges to be confirm'd by the Pope. The Jesuits have two Houses here, which together with their College and Church, are fine Buildings; as are also the Abbey and Church of S. Gregory. |
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The Roman Catholick Religion only is here profess'd, which obliges the Protestants to go as far as Presburg to Church. The Jews had formerly a Liberty to Trade here, but of late they have been wholly banish'd. |
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The Fortification of this City consists of a very strong Wall, wherein are 12 large Bastions, two of which are to the Water, and the other to the Land, and deep Ditches: And indeed this Fortification is needful, for it has been besieged no less than four times by the Turks, viz. in the Year 1529, by Solyman the Magnificent, with an Army of 200000 Men, who were repuls'd and forc'd to return, after they had given two general Assaults to the Town; in the Years 1532 and 1543, and again in our days, viz. A. D. 1683, at which time the City was reduc'd to great extremity, being batter'd by the Enemy's Cannon from the 14th of July to the beginning of September, which they valiantly resisted, under their Couragious Governor Count Staremberg; till John, the present King of Poland, came up with his Army to their Relief, which being join'd with the Imperialists, set upon the Turks the 10th of September, and totally routed and destroy'd their Army, which was said to consist of 100000 Men, and took their Cannon, Camp and Baggage, and so rescu'd the City, which was reduc'd to the last extremity. |
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The Suburbs, call'd Leopolstadt, is divided from the Town by a fair Plain of a good breadth, and the River Danube; and before the last Siege was almost as considerable as the Town, being fill'd with the Houses of Nobility and Gentry very magnificently built; but this was quite burnt down in the Siege. |
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The City stands on the South-side of the River Danube, which running through low Grounds, is here divided into several Streams and makes many Islands, one of which call'd Peters, lies just before the Gates, and is large enough to lodge a considerable Army for their defence; near the Town a small River call'd the Wien falls into the Danube, over which last here is a Bridge. It is distant 26 German Leagues or 104 English miles from Lintz to the East, 6 Leagues from the Confines of Hungary, and 10 from Presburg to the West, and seated in the Lat. of 48. 2. Long. (reckoning from Teneriff according to the ol• Maps) 36. 10. but according to Sanson, 39. 10. |
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Lintz, Aurelianum, Lyncia or Lyncium, the next considerable City, as being the Metropolis of the Upper Austria, is situate upon the Danube, over which it has a Bridge, 100 miles from Vienna to the West, 30 from Passaw to the East, and 50 from Saltzburg to the North-east; it stands in a very pleasant Country, and therefore much resorted to by the Nobility, who have their Houses of Pleasure in its Suburbs on the other side the Danube, and in the Neighbourhood. The Emperor has a Palace here, to which he retir'd during the Siege of Vienna in 1683. Dr. Brown says, This is not a great, but very neat City; the whole Town is built of Stone, the Market-place very large, and not a bad House in it; the Castle stands upon a Hill, is very large and of modern Building. The Imperial Army rendezvous'd here when the Turks came to Vienna in 1532. Here was for some time a Church and University of Lutherans in so flourishing a condition, that in 20 Years time there were no less than 3000 Counts, Barons and Noblemen had been edcuated in it; but it was put down by the Austrian Family when the Emperor Matthias resided here for almost a Year together, A. D. 1614. The Church and the Palace in the City, and the Monastery of the Capucius in the Suburbs, are the things chiefly worth a Travellers sight. There are two Fairs held here yearly, which brings great resort of People. |
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Ens, Anasium, Ensium Civitas, a fair strong and well built City, stands on a River of the same name, which 2 miles North of it falls into the Danube, and is distant 15 miles from Lintz to the East; this Town was built in the place where formerly stood the City Laureacum, considerable in the Romans time, having been the Seat of some of their Emperors, and since Christianity, was an Archbishop's See; but that City was destroy'd by the Huns, A. D. 903, and this of Ens built, which was formerly govern'd by its Count, till the Emperor Rodolph I. bought it, and annex'd it to the States of Austria. |
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Steyer, a neat handsom Town at the Conflux of the two small Rivers, the Steyer and the Ens, about 10 miles from Ens to the South. It is inhabited by Smiths, Cutlers, and other Iron-workers, who, by the Danube, furnish the neighbouring parts with their Ware, and much enrich themselves. |
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Wels, a neat Town upon the River Traune, 4 German miles from Lintz to the South, not considerable. |
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Everding or Efferding, about 12 miles from Lintz to the West, and near the banks of the Danube, is a strong fortified Town and defended with two Castles, one within the Walls of the Town and another without, which is call'd Schaumburg, and gave Title to a Count of the Family of Julbach, to whom this Town belong'd; but the Count of Starenberg is now Lord of it, his Ancestor having married the Daughter of the last Count Schaumburg, about A. D. 1560. |
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Freystat, on the North-side the Danube near the borders of Bohemia, is a well built Town, but not very strong; it stands 25 miles from Lintz to the North. A Fair is held here once a Year which lasts 14 days, and brings great Concourse of People to it. |
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Newstadt, the chief Town next Vienna of the Lower Austria, is seated in a Bog in the middle of a Plain, at the distance of 30 miles from Vienna to the South; it is fortified with two Walls and a Ditch, which makes it so strong that it resisted the main force of the Turks, who were content to retreat if the Town would give them some Trophy to carry to Constantinople, who thereupon sent 'em their Whipping-post. |
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Krembs stands on the North-side of the Danube near a small River of the same name, about 40 miles from Vienna to the West. It is a neat well built wall'd City, and has a good Trade, especially at two yearly Fairs, which last 14 days. |
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Stain is a small City on the North-side of the Danube also, not above two miles from Krembs to the West, and has a Bridge over the Danube. |
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Baden, called so from the natural Baths that rise here in so many Springs as to supply two Baths within the Town, five without the Wall, and two beyond a Rivulet call'd Swechet, the Waters of which are commended for curing many Distempers, and therefore much resorted to. This Town stands in a Plain about 18 miles from Vienna to the South, and as far from Newstadt to the West. |
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Tuln is an ancient Town about 20 miles Westward from Vienna, upon a small River of the same name, which falls into the Danube about 5 or 6 miles below it. The Country about it is reckon'd the fruitfullest and healthiest part of Austria, but the Town however not very well furnish'd with Provisions for Travellers, |
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Haynburg or Haimburg, Hamburgum Austriae, was anciently the Metropolis of Austria and the Seat of the Dukes, and one of the greatest Mart-Towns in these parts, but decay'd upon Duke Leopold's removing to Vienna about A. D. 1200. It is situate on the South-side of the Danube 30 miles from Vienna, and near the borders of Hungary, from whence it has been frequently disturb'd by the Rebels of that Country. They have plenty of Wine and Corn, which is now the chief Trade of the Town. There are still to be seen some Remains of strong Walls and Fortifications round the Town.</blockquote> |
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Latest revision as of 05:49, 31 January 2025
Etymology and other names
History
Geography
Demographics
Economy
Culture
Government
Military
Education
Transportation
Notable People
Sources from old books
1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.
THE ARCHDVKEDOME OF AVSTRIA. The third Circle of the Empire is AUSTRIA, in which there are two Orders. (Book Austria) THe next that followeth in our method is Austria, called heretofore Pannonia the higher. The name of Austria, as Wolfgangus Lazius witnesseth, is but of late time, being called so either from the South wind, which is frequent in that Country, or from the Germane word Oostreich, for so the Frenchmen called the Easterne bounds of their Kingdome, as they call'd the Westerne bounds Westretch. But that which the Frenchmen called Oostreich was situated by the Rhene, and called afterward Austrasia, which name having lost, they call'd it Pannonia, as Lazius testifieth. Lib. 1. Cap. 11. Comment. Gent. Aust. Moreover the Austrians are descended from the Frenchmen and Saxones, who by the sword got this Country from the Hungarians. Austria hath on the East Hungaria: on the South the Mountaines of Styria, which doe runne out with one continued Bridge from the Alpes into Hungary, and other Countries beyond it: it hath on the East Bavaria, and on the North the Rivers Tejus and Moravia. It hath a milde pleasant ayre, and wholesome in regard that the East winde doth purifie it. The soyle is very fruitfull, and not chargable in tilling. For the Husbandman, in that part which is called Campus Transdanubianus, or the Fields beyond Danubius, will plough the ground with one poore leane Horse. The Austrians doe not know what Marle is, with which the barren leane Fields in Bavaria are manured. All the Country hath excellent Wine, which is purer then the Germane wine, and weaker then the Spanish wine, which it doth transport to Moravia, Bohemia, Silesia, and Bavaria. Besides it hath excellent good Saffron. It hath also abundance of Silver, but no Gold; it hath Salt also, which is partly made at home, & partly imported and brought in from other parts. The Earles of Babenberg did sometime governe Austria, the first was Lupold, whom the Emperour Otto the second created Marquesse of Austria; whose Line being extinct, Rudolphus of Habspurg, who was elected Emperour in the yeere 128•. did governe it, and made it a Dukedome. And Frederick the second made it a Kingdome. The armes of this Country were heretofore five golden Larkes painted in a Sky-colour Field: but the Marquesse Lupold the V. had new Armes given him by the Empire, which were set forth in white and red colours, because his Buckle• was so bloody in the Battaile against Ptolomies, that it was all bloody even to the bend which went crosse the Scutchion Moreover Austria is devided into the higher and the lower, the latter whereof is situate beyond Danubius, and the former on this side. It hath also the Dukedome of Styria, which lyeth betweene the Rivers Danubius, Muer, and Mietz, the Inhabitants whereof doe partly use the Germane speech, and partly the Sclavonian. It hath also the Dukedome of Carinthia, which is situate betweene the Rivers Muer and Draicus: and also Carmina Southward. The chiefe Citty of Austria is Vienna, which the Sarmatians and Windians did inhabit, before the birth of our Saviour Christ, after whom there succeeded the Boijans, Senonians, and others, whom Tiberius Nero did reduce into a Province: Antoninus calleth it in his Itinerarie Vindebona, and Ptolemy calls it Iuliobona, and both of them doe place the tenth Germane Legion there, for many ancient Monuments, both within and without the Citty doe witnesse that it was seated in that place. To this Legion from the Colour or Ensigne belonging to it, the name of a Larke was given: whence it seemes that the Marquesse of Austria had their Armes at the first, which are five Larkes. And Otto of Frisingen, Lib. 1. Histor. Frid. cap. 32. calleth it Faviana. For he saith, Dux iunc demum terga hosti dare compellitur, & periculis belli exemptus in Vicinum opidum Viennis, quod olim à Romanis inhabitatum Fabiana Dicebatur, declinavit. That is, The Duke was put to flight by the enemy, and was faine to retire to the Towne Vienna, which when the Romanes did heretofore inhabit it was called Fabiana. You may read the like in the History of Severinus Bishop of Vienna. Lazius saith that Strabo calleth it Vendum. Iornandes calleth it the Citty Pannonia: and in the Sclavonian language it is called Wien Wydme. Ortelius writeth that hee learned out of D. Carolus Rimius, who was sometime Orator to Zelimus the great Turke, that the Turkes doe call this Citty Betz. Leunclavius calleth it Wetsch, and Beetz: It is a faire Citty situate by the River Danubius, and encompassed with a strong wall, so that Vienna is a well fortified and a strong Bulwarke against the Turkes. The Suburbs are great, and large. The Citizens have faire magnificent Houses, which are adorned with Pictures, and strongly built. There are many great faire Churches built of Free-stone, and arched with divers Pillars. Their Wine-cellers are so deepe and large, that they have as much building under the ground as they have above ground. Their streets are paved with hard stone, so that Cart-wheeles cannot weare them. It hath great store of Corne and Wine, so that in the time of Vintage for 40. dayes together they doe use 1200. Horses to carry Corne and Wine in Carts. It received the Christian Religion in the yeere 466. by the preaching and instruction of Severinus, who built two Churches there. The History of this Citty may be found in Lazius, and Otto of Friburg. Frederick the second did adorne, and enlarge this Citty, as also all the other following Dukes of Austria. The Emperour Frederick did erect there an University for all Arts and Sciences, which was afterward renewed by Albert Archduke of Austria, in the yeere 1356. But afterward through sedition it was ruinated. These were famous men in Vienna, namely Wolfgangus, Lazius, Medius, an Historian to the Emperour Ferdinand: also Iulius Alexandrinus, Mathias Farinator, also Iohn Haselbach was Professor of Divinity in the University of Vienna, who was so large in the explanation of that which hee propounded to his audience, that he preached twenty yeeres out of the Prophet Esaiah, and yet hee was not come to the end of the first Chapter. This Citty is famous for the Citizens valiant holding out against the Turkes siege, in the yeere 1529. in which 80000. Turkes were slaine. There is also in higher Austria Gmunda, which is no great Towne, but yet very neat and pleasant, situated by a Lake which is called from thence the Lake Gmunda, out of which Dravus a River of Austria riseth. At Gmunda there is great store of Salt, which is digged out of the neighbouring Mountaines, and so being brought to Gmunda in little Vessels (which in their Country speech they call Kivelin) it is transported by the River Dravus unto Danubius, and so from Vienna it is transported to other Citties of Austria, Hungaria, Stiria, and Carinthia, to the great gaine and commodity of the Gmundians. It is watered also with many Rivers; the chiefe whereof is Danubius, which was heretofore the limmiting bounds of the Country, but now it cutteth thorow the middle of it. The other Rivers are Athosinus, Genus, or Onasus, Tranus, Traunus, and Erlaphus, which ariseth out of a pleasant Lake, by the River Cella famous for the Church of the Virgin Mother: there are also the Rivers Traisius, Ypsius, Melicus, Marchia, and Tejus, which devideth Moravia from Austria, also Cambus which is full of divers kindes of Fish, and Leytha: also Suegadus, in which there are excellent Crabs, and others. It hath many Mountaines, the chiefe whereof are the Mountaine Cecius, commonly called Calenberg, which extendeth from Danubius even to the River Dravus, the parts of it are Schneberg, Semering, Kemperg, Hertperg, Deusperg, Heusterg, Plaitz: Also Cognanus now called der Haimburgerperg, which reacheth from Danubius to Arabon. It hath also some woods which are parts and pieces of the wood Hercinia, and the Moones Wood: And they are now called der Freyste••er und Kon•gwiserwaldt. But let us proceede to other matters. In the Citie of Vienna, twelve Magistrates doe dayly sit in Iudgement. Of which foure are of the Clergie, the Officiall of the Bishop of Patavia, the Officiall of the Bishop of Vienna, the Deane of the Cathedrall Church, and the Rector or governour of the Vniversity. There are also foure Citizens, and foure out of the Citty. The chiefe whereof are these whom they call Regimentum, where all lower Austria doe bring their suits and causes to tryall, and they call the Court the Exchequer, whether all the accompts of the Province are brought. The rest are subject unto them, and causes are removed and brought from them to the higher, the Senate of the Province does appeale to the ordinary of the Province, the Senate of the Citie with the Consull doth appeale to the Citie Praetor, the Iudgement of Custome, and the Merchants Praetor, which they call the Landgrave, concerning which matter Wolfgangus Lazius, of Vienna doth discourse at large in his Vienna. Austria is the third Circle of the Empire, in which there are two Orders. In the first there are the Clergie, as the Bishops of Trent, of Brixen, of Goricen, of Segovia, of Labachia, of Vienna, Teutsch Ordens Meister, Ordens Maister in Eischtall. In the second are the secular Princes, as the Archduke of Austria, Count Schaumberg, the Barren of Wolkenstain, the Lord Senster, the Lord Roggendorff, Count Hardkeck. And besides the Princes of the Empire, there are in Austria, the Counts of Thurn, Crentz, Ortenburg, Perneck, Garb, Freyhern, Landskron, Wanberg, Hohen, Osterwitz, Newberg, Guetenhag, Teuffe•bach, Maiyhofen, Awersperg, Dorneck, Saraw, Hattenstain, Schwartzenaw, Tu•nstai•, Wachanthall, Hoffkirchen, Eytzing. The Lordships also are Aichelperg, Liechtenstain, Puchaim, Luetkurt, Porges, Schonkirchen, Shifftenberg, Altensperg, Hornstein, and Seibersdorff.
1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.
THE Circle of Austria is seated between Bohemia and Moravia on the North, the Dominions of the Republick of Venice on the South, Hungary on, the East, and Bavaria on the West, and comprehends the Estates of the Family of Austria, viz. Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Cilley, Goritz, and Tyrol, and the Bishopricks of Trent and Brixen. The extent of the whole is about 300 miles from East to West, and 200 from North to South. The Soil is fertil, producing Corn, Wine, Pastures and Woods. The Danube passes through Austria, the Drave rises in the Mountains of Brixen and runs through Carinthia, the Save hath its source in the Mountains in the North-west Borders of Carniola and passes through that Dutchy; the Muer rises in the Confines of Saltzburg, runs through Styria and falls into the Drave a little above Canisia, besides which, a great number of smaller Rivers water the several Provinces of this Circle.
AƲSTRIA, which is dignified with the Title of an Arch-dutchy, lies on both sides the River Danube for the space of about 60 or 70 miles from North to South, and 160 from East to West. It was the Pannonia Superior of the Ancients; and its present name of Oosterich or Eastern Kingdom, in Latin Austria, was given by the Franks, because situated Eastward from France. It is a very plentiful Country, affording a great quantity of Wine and Saffron, besides Corn and all other Necessaries for Life in abundance. The Air is not of the wholsomest, the Lower Austria being subject to Infectious Vapours that cause Agues; to prevent which may be the reason of their much Drinking, which, it seems, they are notable for, their Neigbours calling 'em Paschaller, or Ranters,
This Province, after the Roman's time, was part of the Kingdom of Boiarij or Bavarians, afterwards erected into a separate Marquisat by the Emperor Otho I. and the Austrian Family growing powerful, it was honoured with the Title of Arch-dutchy.
This great Family is, by the German Genealogists, pretended to be deriv'd from the ancient Greeks or Roman Hero's. But the first certain Account that is to be found of it, is, That they were Lords of Vindonissa a City of Swisserland, afterwards Counts of Altemberg and Earls of Hapsburg; which Honours they had held from Father to Son for 600 years before Rudolph Earl of Hapsburg was advanc'd to the Imperial Throne in 1273. who, being a very brave Prince, raised his Family exceedingly. In his time Frederick, Duke of Austria dying with out Issue, Ottocarius King of Bohomia seized upon it, pretending a Right by his Wife, and added to it Carniola and Carinthia, which he bought of Ʋlric the last Prince of those Provinces; but the Emperor claimed it as a Fief-male to return to the Empire, and by Force disposses'd Ottocarius and gave it to his Son Albert, who, by Marriage with Elizabeth Daughter of Meinard Earl of Tyrol, obtain'd that Earldom and several Estates in Schwaben and with the Alsatians: By all which Accessions he became powerful enough to contend with the Emperor Adolph, whom he slew in Battel, and caused himself to be chosen Emperor; but after he had Reigned 10 Years he was slain. He left behind him six Sons, from whom descended Frederick III. chosen Emperor in 1440. Maximilian, his Son, succeeded him in the Empire, and married Mary Daughter of Charles the Warlike Duke of Burgundy (the richest Heiress of Europe) and thereby acquir'd all Belgium, or the Netherlands. Philip the Son of Maximilian, married Joan the Daughter of Ferdinand and Isabel, the first Monarchs of all Spain, and in her Right succeeded in that Kingdom, and began the Spanish Branch of the Austrian Family. Charles succeeded his Father and Grandfather in all their Honours and Estates, so that he was Emperor of Germany, and King of Spain, Naples and Sicily, and Lord of Belgium, besides the Realms of Mexico and Peru in America, with the Dutchy of Milan, which were added to Spain in his time. This mighty Prince, after he had Reigned 42 Years, voluntarily resign'd all his Dominions; and after he had given his Son Philip his Kingdoms of Spain, Naples, Sicily, Mexico, with Belgium, &c. and obtained his Brother Ferdinand to be chosen Emperor, himself retir'd into a Monastery. Ferdinand was chosen King of Hungary and Bohemia, which, with the Empire, his Successors have ever since enjoy'd. By the means of this Grandeur, the Family of Austria hath obtain'd large Privileges: The Arch-duke is the first Councellor of the Empire; he can create Barons and Counts all over the Empire: The Princes of this Family cannot be disseized of their Estates, even by the Emperor himself. In case of the failure of the Mail-Line, the eldest Daughter may Inherit, and her Husband enjoy the Dignity and Privileges of Arch-duke, &c.
The present Emperor LEOPOLD is the Heir of the German Branch of this Great Family, and Inheritor of all its Honours and Estates.
Austria is divided into the Upper and Lower, with respect to the Course of the River Danube, being divided by the River Ens.
- In the Lower are these chief Towns,
- Vienna, Capital.
- ...Neustat.
- ...Krems.
- ...Stain.
- ...Baden.
- ...Tuln.
- ...Haynburg.
- In the Upper, stand
- ...Lints.
- ...Ens.
- ...Everding.
- ...Freistat.
- ...Steyr.
- ...Wels.
VIENNA, olim Vindomina & Vindobona, call'd by the Natives WIEN, is the Capital of Austria, and by being the Seat of the Emperor, is esteem'd the Metropolis of Germany; it was originally a Fort of the Romans, and not at all considerable till Henry Prince of •ledge•stria rebuilt it in 1158. It was enlarg'd, beautified •ledge• wall'd round in the Year 1192, with the Mony •ledge• was paid by the English Nation for the Ransom of •ledge•ard I. detain'd Prisoner by the Marquess of Au•ledge•ria, in his return from the Holy Land. It is now a •ledge•ry rich flourishing City, and exceeding populous; •ledge•reat numbers of Strangers, besides Natives of other parts of Germany, being brought hither by the Emperor's Court. The Houses are well built of Stone, and very high, commonly six Stories, and besides have Cellars sunk four Stories under one another. The Emperor's Palace is a noble piece of Building, but not very large, it consists of two Courts: Over the entrance are set in Capitals the 5 Vowels, the Exposition of which causes many Conjectures; one that pleases best, is, Austriae Est Imperare Orbi Ʋniverso. The Furniture is very princely. But that which most deserves a Traveller's sight, are, the Repository or Collection of Rarities of Nature and Art, and the Library; in the former of which are kept a vast number of Curiosities, the bare Catalogue whereof takes up a large Vol. in Fol. Dr. Brown has mention'd several of the most considerable, to which we must refer the Reader, it being too long to set down here. The Library consists of eight Chambers, which contain a very valuable and numerous Collection of Printed Books, besides a great number of Manuscripts, and is excell'd by no Library of Europe.
This City is the See of a Bishop, who is Suffragan to the Archb••hop o• Sa••zburg. The Cathedral Church, dedicated •o 〈…〉, is a stately Fabrick; the Windows are of thick pain•ed •l••s, which makes the Church somewh•• dark, •he •••fry is •x•raordinary, being adorn'd with S•••••s and fine Embellishments; the Steeple r••es in a Sp••e to the heighth of 482 Foot, and on the top was set •he Turkish Arms, a Star and Crescent, to save it from being destroy'd at the time that Solyman besieg'd this City, which continued there till the Year 16•3, when after defeating the Turks that year, it was taken down. An University is establish'd here, which is endow'd with many Privileges and a fair Revenue, and has a great number of Students: It was founded, as some say, by the Emperor Frederick II. and enlarg'd and compleated by Albert III. Duke of Austria, who also obtain'd its Privileges to be confirm'd by the Pope. The Jesuits have two Houses here, which together with their College and Church, are fine Buildings; as are also the Abbey and Church of S. Gregory.
The Roman Catholick Religion only is here profess'd, which obliges the Protestants to go as far as Presburg to Church. The Jews had formerly a Liberty to Trade here, but of late they have been wholly banish'd.
The Fortification of this City consists of a very strong Wall, wherein are 12 large Bastions, two of which are to the Water, and the other to the Land, and deep Ditches: And indeed this Fortification is needful, for it has been besieged no less than four times by the Turks, viz. in the Year 1529, by Solyman the Magnificent, with an Army of 200000 Men, who were repuls'd and forc'd to return, after they had given two general Assaults to the Town; in the Years 1532 and 1543, and again in our days, viz. A. D. 1683, at which time the City was reduc'd to great extremity, being batter'd by the Enemy's Cannon from the 14th of July to the beginning of September, which they valiantly resisted, under their Couragious Governor Count Staremberg; till John, the present King of Poland, came up with his Army to their Relief, which being join'd with the Imperialists, set upon the Turks the 10th of September, and totally routed and destroy'd their Army, which was said to consist of 100000 Men, and took their Cannon, Camp and Baggage, and so rescu'd the City, which was reduc'd to the last extremity.
The Suburbs, call'd Leopolstadt, is divided from the Town by a fair Plain of a good breadth, and the River Danube; and before the last Siege was almost as considerable as the Town, being fill'd with the Houses of Nobility and Gentry very magnificently built; but this was quite burnt down in the Siege.
The City stands on the South-side of the River Danube, which running through low Grounds, is here divided into several Streams and makes many Islands, one of which call'd Peters, lies just before the Gates, and is large enough to lodge a considerable Army for their defence; near the Town a small River call'd the Wien falls into the Danube, over which last here is a Bridge. It is distant 26 German Leagues or 104 English miles from Lintz to the East, 6 Leagues from the Confines of Hungary, and 10 from Presburg to the West, and seated in the Lat. of 48. 2. Long. (reckoning from Teneriff according to the ol• Maps) 36. 10. but according to Sanson, 39. 10.
Lintz, Aurelianum, Lyncia or Lyncium, the next considerable City, as being the Metropolis of the Upper Austria, is situate upon the Danube, over which it has a Bridge, 100 miles from Vienna to the West, 30 from Passaw to the East, and 50 from Saltzburg to the North-east; it stands in a very pleasant Country, and therefore much resorted to by the Nobility, who have their Houses of Pleasure in its Suburbs on the other side the Danube, and in the Neighbourhood. The Emperor has a Palace here, to which he retir'd during the Siege of Vienna in 1683. Dr. Brown says, This is not a great, but very neat City; the whole Town is built of Stone, the Market-place very large, and not a bad House in it; the Castle stands upon a Hill, is very large and of modern Building. The Imperial Army rendezvous'd here when the Turks came to Vienna in 1532. Here was for some time a Church and University of Lutherans in so flourishing a condition, that in 20 Years time there were no less than 3000 Counts, Barons and Noblemen had been edcuated in it; but it was put down by the Austrian Family when the Emperor Matthias resided here for almost a Year together, A. D. 1614. The Church and the Palace in the City, and the Monastery of the Capucius in the Suburbs, are the things chiefly worth a Travellers sight. There are two Fairs held here yearly, which brings great resort of People.
Ens, Anasium, Ensium Civitas, a fair strong and well built City, stands on a River of the same name, which 2 miles North of it falls into the Danube, and is distant 15 miles from Lintz to the East; this Town was built in the place where formerly stood the City Laureacum, considerable in the Romans time, having been the Seat of some of their Emperors, and since Christianity, was an Archbishop's See; but that City was destroy'd by the Huns, A. D. 903, and this of Ens built, which was formerly govern'd by its Count, till the Emperor Rodolph I. bought it, and annex'd it to the States of Austria.
Steyer, a neat handsom Town at the Conflux of the two small Rivers, the Steyer and the Ens, about 10 miles from Ens to the South. It is inhabited by Smiths, Cutlers, and other Iron-workers, who, by the Danube, furnish the neighbouring parts with their Ware, and much enrich themselves.
Wels, a neat Town upon the River Traune, 4 German miles from Lintz to the South, not considerable.
Everding or Efferding, about 12 miles from Lintz to the West, and near the banks of the Danube, is a strong fortified Town and defended with two Castles, one within the Walls of the Town and another without, which is call'd Schaumburg, and gave Title to a Count of the Family of Julbach, to whom this Town belong'd; but the Count of Starenberg is now Lord of it, his Ancestor having married the Daughter of the last Count Schaumburg, about A. D. 1560.
Freystat, on the North-side the Danube near the borders of Bohemia, is a well built Town, but not very strong; it stands 25 miles from Lintz to the North. A Fair is held here once a Year which lasts 14 days, and brings great Concourse of People to it.
Newstadt, the chief Town next Vienna of the Lower Austria, is seated in a Bog in the middle of a Plain, at the distance of 30 miles from Vienna to the South; it is fortified with two Walls and a Ditch, which makes it so strong that it resisted the main force of the Turks, who were content to retreat if the Town would give them some Trophy to carry to Constantinople, who thereupon sent 'em their Whipping-post.
Krembs stands on the North-side of the Danube near a small River of the same name, about 40 miles from Vienna to the West. It is a neat well built wall'd City, and has a good Trade, especially at two yearly Fairs, which last 14 days.
Stain is a small City on the North-side of the Danube also, not above two miles from Krembs to the West, and has a Bridge over the Danube.
Baden, called so from the natural Baths that rise here in so many Springs as to supply two Baths within the Town, five without the Wall, and two beyond a Rivulet call'd Swechet, the Waters of which are commended for curing many Distempers, and therefore much resorted to. This Town stands in a Plain about 18 miles from Vienna to the South, and as far from Newstadt to the West.
Tuln is an ancient Town about 20 miles Westward from Vienna, upon a small River of the same name, which falls into the Danube about 5 or 6 miles below it. The Country about it is reckon'd the fruitfullest and healthiest part of Austria, but the Town however not very well furnish'd with Provisions for Travellers,
Haynburg or Haimburg, Hamburgum Austriae, was anciently the Metropolis of Austria and the Seat of the Dukes, and one of the greatest Mart-Towns in these parts, but decay'd upon Duke Leopold's removing to Vienna about A. D. 1200. It is situate on the South-side of the Danube 30 miles from Vienna, and near the borders of Hungary, from whence it has been frequently disturb'd by the Rebels of that Country. They have plenty of Wine and Corn, which is now the chief Trade of the Town. There are still to be seen some Remains of strong Walls and Fortifications round the Town.